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Hillsboro to get housing boost

HILLSBORO, N.D. — This growing town of about 1,600 people could begin to see a much-needed housing boost as soon as this spring.

Melissa Beach, executive director of the Traill County Economic Development Commission, said Tuesday that Fargo housing developer Jordahl Holdings purchased about 4 acres of land just outside city limits on the northwest side of town.

She confirmed the company plans to build multifamily housing but said details are not yet available on the number of units or style of the dwellings.

"There's a couple of issues they're working out with access prior to putting a rendering together," she said. The land currently is undeveloped, and infrastructure would need to be added.

In any case, she said the additional housing will be a big boon to the community about 40 miles south of Grand Forks.

Beach said a countywide study of Traill a few years back looked at current housing availability and predicted future high demand for single-family, owner-occupied housing as well as rental housing.

"With just our general housing market, the ones that are for sale, it's been very tight and very competitive," she said. "Prices have stayed high, so there's that continuous demand."

And recent growth in the city has continued to put a strain on the housing market, she said.

The Hillsboro School District has experienced consistent growth and just last year received "rapid enrollment" funding from the state, she said.

New businesses have moved to town and existing businesses have expanded, she said, adding "many new employees for a community of this size."

One such development is Degelman Industries USA, which opened in the summer of 2016. Beach said the company that manufactures and distributes agricultural and construction equipment employs 32 people.

"This housing development is going to be incredibly attractive to the community. For three years, we've been trying to recruit multifamily housing developers because we know this is such a demand," she said. "Our businesses are having folks commute when they would prefer to live in Hillsboro, so this is a huge project for the community. We expect the impacts will continue to help the community grow for several years."